


my world turns for you

by the_reverse



Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Banter, But It Goes Away, Don't worry, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M, and suggestions of sex, baz is the best brother, ebb has a coffeeshop, i have no beta because i have no friends, kind of a coffeeshop au?, simon the seat stealer, teen for swearing, the simon/agatha is a thing for the first couple of chapters, there's no sex lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 13:37:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18918103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_reverse/pseuds/the_reverse
Summary: "You're in my seat," I say, raising an eyebrow at the golden-haired boy sitting there.He turns and gives me an awkward grin. "Sorry, what?""I always sit there. It’s the only left handed desk in this lecture hall. Which you would know if you bothered showing up."He flushes red. "I— I’m sorry. I hadn’t, didn’t notice."I curve my lips into a sharp smile. “Didn’t notice the fact that the table is on the wrong side? Are you dumb and blind?” Crowley, he’s even more of an idiot than I thought. “World doesn’t turn for you, Golden Boy.”His teeth clench. “Sorry.”He gets up. When he moves, he looks a little like a marionette. He moves like there's something pulling at him. For just a moment I can imagine him like that, strung up like a wooden doll or something. And then my mind is supplying me with an entirely different image of him tied up in string (one I definitely didn’t need or want).He slots himself into the chair, limbs folding gracelessly. He honestly looks more out of place in there than he did in my desk.It’s mildly amusing.(Or: Simon steals Baz's seat in the worst English class ever and they become kinda-sorta-friends)





	my world turns for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Simon seals Baz's seat, Dev and Niall probably fuck in a public bathroom, and Baz actually leaves his apartment.

 "You're in my seat," I say, raising an eyebrow at the golden-haired boy sitting there.

He turns and gives me an awkward grin. "Sorry, what?"

My mood sours. 8 am classes are hell enough without having to deal with blustering idiots. "I said, you're in my seat."

"I, uh… I didn't know we had assigned seating?" His voice lifts at the end of his sentence, making it sound like a question. Is he even in the right class? I’ve never seen him here before. Either that or he just coasts by with a charming smile and Professor Mage just lets him get away with never coming in.

I give him a quick once over. If he weren’t so shabbily dressed he could pass as a model. His jeans are accidentally ripped in at least three places. Mordelia’s grunge phase gave me more experience with ripped jeans than I ever wanted.

"I always sit there. It’s the only left handed desk in this lecture hall. Which you would know if you bothered showing up."

He flushes red. "I— I’m sorry. I hadn’t, didn’t notice."

I curve my lips into a sharp smile. “Didn’t notice the fact that the table is on the wrong side? Are you dumb _and_ blind?” Crowley, he’s even more of an idiot than I thought. “World doesn’t turn for you, Golden Boy.”

His teeth clench. “Sorry.”

He gets up. When he moves, he looks a little like a marionette. He moves like there's something pulling at him. For just a moment I can imagine him like that, strung up like a wooden doll or something. And then my mind is supplying me with an entirely different image of him tied up in string (one I definitely didn’t need or want).

He slots himself into the chair, limbs folding gracelessly. He honestly looks more out of place in there than he did in my desk.

It’s mildly amusing.

I fold my coat and lay it on the back of my chair, before sitting down.

Before I can say anything else, Mage waltzes into the room.

My lip curls at the sight of him.

I spent my childhood here, running in and out of empty lecture halls and classrooms while Mum graded essays. Back when Malcolm was less of an ass about his image we lived here, on campus. This was my home for the first nine years of my life.

And then she was gone and Malcolm threw himself into politics again and married Daphne.

I would have moved as far away from Watford as possible, but Mum always wanted me to go.

Mage is everything Mum hated, but she's not here to do anything about it.

The only reason he was hired is because he was married to the Dean of Faculty, Lucy Salisbury. Then she fucked off to America and now no one can fire him because he got tenured. I don’t blame her for leaving him, honestly. Davy Mage and his heinous mustache are the stuff of nightmares.

Class is hellish, as per usual. The only thing keeping me occupied is the Golden Boy’s inability to answer simple questions about Hemingway. (Side note: Who fucking _likes_ Hemingway? Apparently only Davy Mage.)

When I check my phone after class I have five texts, all from Mordelia.

 

**From** **_The Worst_ **

father wants you to come over for dinner

**From The Worst**

i tried telling him you were busy but then mum said it would be nice to see you

**From** **_The Worst_ **

dev and fi might come

**From** **_The Worst_ **

having fiona might make things more of a shit show though

**From** **_The Worst_ **

how’s school anyway

 

Having Fiona and Malcolm at one dinner sounds like hell. I’m not quite sure anyone will come out unscathed.

 

**To** **_The Worst_ **

Firstly, your lack of punctuation is putting me off.

**From** **_The Worst_ **

no one puts periods after sentences while texting baz

**To** **_The Worst_ **

Secondly, why the hell does Daphne want me there?

**From** **_The Worst_ **

she says she wants to ‘connect’ with you

**To** **_The Worst_ **

Does she really.

**From** **_The Worst_ **

i don’t know baz, why don’t you ask her

**To** **_The Worst_ **

There’s a reason Malcolm hasn’t asked me to dinner himself.

**From** **_The Worst_ **

what did you do

**To** **_The Worst_ **

Exist.

 

I shove my phone into the back pocket of my (unripped) jeans. I’ll probably fake some sickness so I don’t have to go. Even if Malcolm manages to get Fiona to come, the odds of her staying sober for the entire evening are slim. Dev will come, but only because he’s more polite than either of us.

I should probably meet up with Dev and Niall at some point. I’ve been avoiding them lately in favor of drowning myself in work. If moving out helped me realize one thing, it’s that I’m really fucking good at avoiding my issues.

***

I meet Dev and Niall sooner than expected.

When I finally get home to my apartment, they’re sitting on my couch with cups of coffee from Ebb’s. I don’t remember giving either of them a key. It’s likely Mordelia gave them a copy, so I don’t ask.

“We got you one too,” says Niall by way of explanation. He’s holding out one of the cups.

“I spat in it.”

I drop my bag and grab the cup, drinking most of it as quickly as I can. I don’t realize how tired I am until I collapse onto the couch next to them.

“Maybe we should have gotten you tea.” Niall frowns at me as he speaks and I rearrange myself so I’m sitting slightly more presentably.

“No, fuck off.” I say, setting the coffee cup onto my overpriced coffee table.

Dev rolls his eyes. “You’re just annoyed because of the dinner.”

“And you’re not?” I say, yawning slightly.

“Fiona might be there.”

Niall interrupts. “You’re talking about the Malcolm thing, right?” He’s tapping a pen against the couch. I would tell him to stop, but my mouth feels like cotton.

Dev nods. “Yeah. It’ll suck, but you could probably come with me if you want.”

I hum in agreement.

“So you’re not going then?” Niall asks.

“I would rather set myself on fire.”

No one says anything for a couple of seconds. Even Niall’s steady tapping stutters to a stop.

“So!” Niall says. His voice is so jarring that I jump. “How was class?”

“Why you chose to learn at ass o’clock I will never understand,” Dev mutters.

“Fine,” I say. The word lingers in the air for a moment. I elaborate. “Some idiot took my desk.”

Dev perks up slightly. “Name?”

“Ah yes, let me just ask the name of the arsehole that took the only left-handed desk in the classroom.”

“Was he hot?”

“How do you know it was a guy? And no. He was not hot.” I roll my eyes and get up to toss my cup in the wastebasket.

Dev leans over and says “That’s Baz-speech for yes,” conspiratorially into Niall’s ear. When I get back to the couch I notice he’s blushing slightly.

Interesting.

After a few more beats of silence, Dev gets up. He reaches out a hand to Niall and drags him up. “You need to get out more Baz. Let’s go somewhere.”

I pull myself off the couch. “Fine, but only if they have more coffee.”

“Ebb’s it is then,” Dev says. “I’ll tell Agatha to meet us.”

Niall’s face scrunches. “Wellbelove? Isn’t she your ex?”

“Yeah, but she’s cool. Pretty sure she only dated me to piss off her parents,” Dev says as he herds us outside.

I pause to look at myself in the hallway mirror on my way out. I managed to drag myself out of bed early enough to gel my hair back, which makes me look presentable enough. If I had time, I would wash my face, but Dev looks antsy enough.

We walk down to Ebb’s. The cold air manages to wake me up a bit, so by the time we get there I’m pretty much back to normal.

This turns out to be a good thing, because Golden Boy is sitting with Agatha Wellbelove in the middle of Ebb’s when we get there.

I almost want to go back home, but Dev and Niall are already inside.

“Hello!” Wellbelove springs up and greets Dev with a quick hug. “Oh and Basil! It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

I nod at her. “It has.”

Niall is silent beside me.

Dev takes it upon himself to introduce him. Golden Boy waves at us and I pointedly stare at the chalk menu.

Wellbelove motions to the table (and Golden Boy). “Shall we sit?”

We do.

She pats him on the shoulder. “Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Simon Snow.”

What kind of name is Simon Snow?

“We’ve met,” I say, keeping my face neutral.

“Right,” he says.

Dev, noticing the tension, flicks his eyes towards me. I nod minutely.

Wellbelove (who is apparently more perceptive than I gave her credit for) claps her hands and stands up. “Who wants drinks?”

I can see Niall drop his forehead onto the table from the corner of my eye. “Hell yes,” he mutters.

They stand, leaving me and Snow alone.

“You,” he says, softly.

I raise a haughty eyebrow. “Me.”

My phone dings with a text, right on time to save me from Simon Snow’s idiocy.

 

**From The Worst**

i gave your gremlins a key

 

**From The Worst**

just so you’re aware

 

**To The Worst**

I know. They dragged me to Ebb’s.

 

**From The Worst**

good you need to get out more

 

Snow is watching me like I’m some enigma. Or a ticking time bomb about to explode and kill his family.

It feels strangely intimate, him watching me. It’s like I’m something interesting. Something new and beautiful.

Wellbelove returns with enough coffee and scones to feed a small country. Snow lights up like a library lit on fire (I would know).

“Where are the other two?” Snow says around a mouthful of scone. I grimace at the spectacle.

“I think they’re in the bathroom.” She takes an elegant sip of coffee.

I snort. “Together.”

Snow looks up from his steady annihilation of the scones. “What do you mean?”

Wellbelove shakes her head, amused.

I lean in as close to Snow as I dare. There are crumbs on the sides of his mouth, but he manages to make it look deliberate. What a disaster.

“Kissing, fucking, both?”

He jerks back almost instantly, nearly knocking over the plate of scones in the process. His face is flushed.

I lean back in my seat, arms crossed over my chest. And then I realize, Snow is _laughing_. His mouth is covered by his hand, but his chest is shaking with it.

Wellbelove looks more exasperated by the crassness of my expression rather than the actual sentiment. Snow turns to look at her and she smiles, a fond thing. He plants a small kiss at the corner of her mouth.

I hate this, the easy affection, the comfort. But a small part of me (a part I like to ignore) wants and wants and wants. I turn away from them, grabbing my coat.

“Tell Dev and Niall I had to go to class.” They’ll see through my lie, but I don’t particularly care. All I want now is to go home and scrub the bitter longing off my skin for good.

“You’re going?” says Wellbelove. The kissing is finished, but the two of them are still curled in each other’s arms.

I nod at her. “Nice to see you again.” I don’t really mean it, but Wellbelove brightens anyway.

Snow looks up and gives me a long look before smiling. “I’ll see you in class, Basil.”

I pause, halfway out the door, and turn back around. He’s still looking at me and the moment seems to stretch out for hours.

“It’s Baz,” I say. And then I go, leaving them with only a half wave over my shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> write a fan fiction, they said. it'll be fun, they said.
> 
> this was much more difficult to write than i thought, so i hope it reads ok! i should have the next chapter up within the week
> 
> please consider leaving a comment or kudos :D


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